Type-writing machine



T'. L C00. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IULY3.1914.

Rimmed Aug. 15, 1916.

' and under the same; the

sTaTns raTnnT opinion;

THOMAS J. GOD, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR T UNDERWOOD TYPE- "WRITEP COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. Coo, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in the city of Toronto, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typellriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to Work-feeding means for the revoluble platens of typewriting machines, and particularly to means for conveniently introducing and line-feeding a stiff card, especially a stencil address card, which usually comprises a sheet of thin wax-coated paper with a protecting frame of heavy stiff cardboard.

One of the leading features of my invention involves the introduction of the card bottom edge downward at the front of the platen and moving it downwardly and backwardly around the under side of the platen until the top or leading portion thereof is in position to be written upon.

I amaware that it has heretofore been proposed to introduce sheets of paper downwardly at the front of the platen, but the present devices provide for the control of stencil cards and other stiff Work-pieces.

I The present construction primarily comprehends the employment of hard biting or worleindenting rolls, which run upon the front side of the platen to grip or indent the side edges of the card, these rolls being made of steel "or other metal and having their surfaces knurled or consisting 'of a series of points or edges. These rolls are pressed very forcibly against the front of the platen, and in practice, by reason of their indenting or biting action, are found to grip and feed along the bottom edge of the card, even when the same is of substantial thickness, and to be effective in feeding the card downwardly and forcing it to find its way down around the front of the platen card being guided under the platen by a suitable apron or deflector. From said biting rolls there leads downwardly a pair of guide fingers or clips, which at their lower portions are mounted upon suitable devices arranged upon the platen frame, these fingers or clips serving to deflect and guide the lower edge of the card asit descends, and also serving to hold the rolls very firmly against the front-of the platen.

Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed July 3, 1914.

Patented Arn L5, 1916..

Serial No. 848,742.

The frontedges of the bottom apron or deflector, which guides the cards backwardly under the platen, are also rolled over forwardly, to form, a chute to receive and control the bottom edge of the card as it descends beyond said rolls. The portion of the card between the guide fingers tends to bulge out, but this tendency is overcome by the fingers constructed as described. The usual feed rolls which run upon the bottom of the platen may also be employed, to aid in feeding the card lniclnvurdly during the introduction thereof, and forwardly during thewriting thereon; such feed rolls being usually made of soft rubber. The card feeding fingers or clips, with their knurled metal rolls, are preferably mounted detachably upon the machine, and in order not to necessitateextcnsive changes in the machine itself, I provide spring sockets upon the card fing rs, which may catch over the shaft of the usual bratoln feed rolls. Above said feed roll shaft I preferably provide retaining pins upon the front portions of the bottom paper guide or apron; these retaining pins serving as fulcrums for the spring fingers.-- These fulcrum pins may be withdrawn, so as to permit the detachment of the card feeders from the machine, and to permit the machines to be the ordinary Way for sheets of paper.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a part-sectional perspective view of that portion of a typewriter carriage including the platen frame, with platen and fuLCl rolls, and also including my improved feed and guide rolls carried by the bottom apron, for use with stiff work-pieces, Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. partly in section and with a portion of the platen frame broken away to afford a better exposure of the operative parts. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom apron. detached from the machine, showing the means thereon for supporting the spring fingers carrying the rolls aforesaid. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail front vertical section of one of my im n'oved curd feeding and guiding rolls, with its supporting spring finger. the latter being partly broken away. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of a spring finger carrying a roll. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a stiff workpiece gripped. by the hard biting roll,

used in being pressed to the platen, and just entering between the rolled edge of the paper apron and the platen.

The present invention having relation to gages in lugs 22, upon the paper apron, at opposite sides of the finger, said lugs having orifices to receive said pins, and eachpin having a bent-over portion 23 forming a certain means whereby a stiff work-piece, handle by which said pin may be shifted in 70 like a stencil card, may, when introduced and out of engagement. Preferably each downwardly over the printing-surface upon pin has an enlarged terminal portion 2 1, the platen, be guided around the "front and which, while capable of sliding within the lower portions of the platen surface while orifice in the lugs which supports said end,

being held snugly against the printing porcannot be withdrawn through the orifice in 75 tion of the platen surface, I have illusthe opposite lug, thereby preventing liabiltrated herein such portions of an Underity. of these pins becoming disengaged and wood typewriting machine as correlate with thus being lost. But since the large pointed said improvements, including a platen portion of the pin, when withdrawn as far frame 1, a platen 2 supported therein, and as it will go, would lie in the path of the do a line-space wheel 3 operated by a pawl 4: on spring finger which it retains, the spring a spring returning sliding bar 5; also the finger is narrowed at that point, as at 25, to platen axle 6, with its finger piece 7,c paper be rendered capable of being lifted out of its shelf 8, and the usual front and rear feed bearing. By the means described, it is a rolls 9 and 10, and tie-rod 11. very simple matter to remove the spring The bottom paper apron 12, which is fingers, as will be observed, and also to remodified in the present construction, is insert them upon occasion. curved to conform to the curvature of. the The free ends 26 of the springfingers 15 platen, and has the usual slotted ears 13 by extend rearwardly beneath the paper apron 25 which it straddles and is supported upon 12, and engage with the upper surface of the tie-rod 11, being thus in operative posithe tie-rod 11, thus forming anchoring arms .tion beneath the platen; also said paper whereby the tensional hold of said spring apronj has notches 14 in its opposite sides, fingers upon rod or shaft 20 by their spring to receive the aforementioned feed rolls. sockets 19, is rendered more. secure, and an 30 In order to fulfil the main purpose of my additional tensional bearing is provided invention, I provide separate spring fingers whereby the secure support of said spring or clips 15 spaced apartand extending upfingers in their adjusted positions is mainwardly from the forward edge of said paper tained, the character of the connecting means apron, said fingers each terminating at its for said spring fingers throughout allowing 35 upper end .in a roll 16, formed of steel or the quick and convenient removal or attachother hard material with a roughened or ment of these devices from and to their opsuitable gripping surface, said rolls being erative positions.

rotatably supported by said fingers, and as On account of the great strength of the here shown being each carried by a pin 17 spring fingers 15, the rolls 16, which are 40 that is mounted in a yoke formed by lugs 18, held against the platen surface by the comextending from the material of the finger. pression of said spring fingers between said Each spring finger 15 at an intermediate surface and the fulcrum pins 21, are capable point therein, is folded or creased to form a of overcoming the resistance presented by a spring socket 19, whereby said spring finger stiff work-piece, such as a stencil card, when w 45 may be swung over the rod or shaft 20 interposed between said rolls and the platen,

' i which carries the forward feed rolls 10, the and thus act to hold said work-piece against location of said rod or shaft 20 being suitthe platen surface in the neighborhood of able, in the example of typewriting mathe printing line thereon while said work-" chines with which this invention is illuspiece is being flexed so as to conform to the 50 trated, for the purpose of localizing said contour of the platen in passing therespring fingers, so that their rolls may lie around. The spring fingers '15, which exin an appropriate position in the performtend from the forward edge of the, paper ance of their function. A apron 12in their adjusted position, are

To afi'ord fulcrums for the'spring fingers themselves, curved to catch the lower ed e 5 or clips, and in order -that the rolls they ofthe work-piece in introducing said w carry may be pressed with the requisite piece downwardly across the front of" the degree of force against the platen, for the platen, said spring fingers guiding'the botpurpose stated, a s'Tiitabl-eiottedbearing is tom edge of e work-piece t3 the edge of provided for each finger, in the forward the said paper apron 12, which edge is 6 edge ofthe apron #and in'order that said rolled or flared outwardly, as at;27, to fabearings maybe capable of opening to allow cilitate entry of the work-piece at its lower removal of the spring fingers so that the edgebetween said paper apron and the machine may be'used with ordinary workplaten, in its continued downward travel, sheets, I provide at the front side of each whereby said paper apron isQenaLbled to 65 bearing slot a sliding pin 21 which one guide the lower portion of the-flexed work- "13,

piece around between it and the bottom of the platen. Also the forward edges of the recessed or notched portions let of the paper apron within which the forward feed rolls 10 lie, are rolled or flared outwardly, as at 28, for a similar purpose. Thus, any tench ency of the stiff work-piece to bulge outwardly at its central portion is met and overcome through the succeeding flared receptive and guiding edges 27 and 28.. It is within the axis of the rolled-over or flared edges 27 that the pins 21 are journaled, in order that the work-piece edge, in descending over the curved spring fingers, may pass smoothly therefrom onto the succeeding portion of the rolled-edges and thence onto the apron. The stiff work-piece While thus being causedto conform at its lower portion substantially to the contour of the platen, with which it is being introduced to printing position, has considerable tendency, 0W- ing to the spring-like character of the still material comprising the character of Workpiece in question, to start away from, the

platen in the .neighborhoodof the printing zone, which tendency, as already stated, is overcome by the strength of the spring fingers 15, which press the rolls 16 with sufficient force upon said work-piece to holdit snugly to the platen.

The rolls 16, in addition to the pressure they are enabled to exert upon the Workpiece, also, by reason of their hard surfaces, which are roughened or knurled to present a series of biting or gripping edges to the \vorknece, in this manner are possessed of an unyielding frictional character whereby said rolls efficiently serve the purpose of feeding a work-piece under the conditions named. Hence the prime desideratum of presenting the upper portion of the stiff frame or nun-gin. of a stencil or similar workpiece to the printing position by introducing the work-piece downwardly across the front of the platen. is accomplished, and said upper frame portion of the work-piece is held snugly to the platen for writing thereon. In the subsequent advance of the workpiece in line-spacing direction, the same relation at the printing point upon the platen is also maintained, as is obvious.

The paper apron 12, at rear portion, has the extensions 29, which may be provided with rubber bands 30 or other soft surfacing and engage against the rear lower surface of the paper shelf 8, said paper apron 12 thus forming a substantially rigid bearing to support the operative tension of the spring fingers 15 exercised against their fulcrum pins 21.

'ihc usual rear and front feed rolls 9 and in at the bottom of the platen coo 'ieratc with the rolls 16 both in the introduction of the work-piece in the manner stated, and in. its v,line-s acing advance movement at those times when the work-piece is passing between said rolls and the platen, the cooperation of said feed rolls 9 and 10 being available because the paper apron 12, through the workpiece guidingmeans with which it is equipped, serves to conduct the work-piece around the bottom of the platen in proximity thereto.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that in introducing the workpiece to the printing position upon the platen, the platen is rotated backwardly until the work-piece is positioned with its upper portion to receive the first line of writing, whereafter the platen is advanced, either by turning it with a finger-piece or with the usual line-space mechanism to advance the work-piece for successive lines of writing; and that throughout these operations, the rolls 16 will both feed said work-piece and press it close to the platen over the printing line.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a paper apron supported at the bottom of the platen and curved to conform to the contour there-v of, spring fingers detachably connected with saidapron and extending forwardly there from, and hard, biting rolls carried by'said springs in position to receive the bottom edge of a workpiece when introduced downwardly over the platen printing surface, and to feed and hold said work-piece to said printing surface in its introductory and advanced positions, said apron conducting the work-piece, in curved or flexed condition, around the bottom of the platen in proximity thereto. 4

2.111 a typewriting machine having a.

revoluble platen, thecombination of a paper apron at the bottom of the platen, a pair of hard, biting feed rolls, and a detachable connection between said rolls and paper apron comprising spring means whereby said rolls are normally pressed against the platen in the neighborhood of the printing zone thereon, said rolls being adapted to receive the bottom edge of a work-piece when introduced downwardly over the platen printing surface, and to feed and hold said work-piece to said printing surface in its introductory and advanced positions.

wardly introduced stiff work-piece, feed 3. In a typewriting machine havinga rolls with hard, biting surfaces also extending forwardly from said paper apron, in advance of the flared edges thereof, and means for pressing said rolls upon the platen in the neighborhood of the printing zone thereon, to enable said'rolls to receive the bottom edge of the stilf work-piece and conduct said work-piece downwardly to the flared edges of said paper apron, for entry o between said apron and platen, and said apron conducting the work-piece, in curved or flexed condition, around the bottom of the platen in proximity thereto.

a. In a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a paper apron supported beneath the platen and having forward edges rolled or flared away from the platen to receive a downwardly introduced stiff work-piece, curved spring lingers extending from said apron to guide the work-piece to said apron edges, and feed rolls carried by said spring fingers and having hard, biting surfaces, said rolls pressing upon the platen in the neighborhood of the printing zone thereon, torec'eive the bottom edge of said worlcpieceand feed it downvardly to said paper apron.

5. In a typewriting.machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a paper apron at the bottom of said platen, spring fingers extending from the forward edge of said paper apron, hard, biting rolls supported by said fingers, and a. -relea sable bear ing upon said paper apron for each finger, said bearings forming fulcrums from w iich. said rolls press against the platen in the neighborhood of the printing zone thereon,

to receive and conduct a work-piece down- /wardly into said paper apron.

, position.

6. in "a typewriting machine having a. revoluble platen, the combination of a paper apron/a spring paper finger fulcrumed thereon, and a feed roll carried by said paper finger and having a. hard, biting surface adapted to exert platen in the neighborhood of the printing zone thereon, said paper finger and paper apron being constructed to guide a stiff worlopiece between said platen and apron when introduced forwardly to the printing surface in a backward rotation of the platen.

7. In a typowriting machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a platen frame, a tie-rod therefor, a. paper apron, spring fingers fulcrumed on said apron, hard, biting rolls carried by said fingers,

' and means localizing said fingers to support said rolls in the vicinity of the printing line on the platen, said fingers having each a rear extension to lie upon the tie-rod to assist in holding said sprlng fingers in their localized 8. In a typewriting machine, the"" com-i bination of a revoluble platen, a platen frame, a tie-rod therefor, a shaft carrying lower forward feed rolls, a paper apron,

pressure upon the hard, biting rolls carried by said fingers, said spring lingers having a crease or fold to spring over said feed roll shaft to thereby localize said fingers to support said hard, biting rolls in the vicinity of the printing line on the platen, said fingers having each a rear extension to lie upon the tie-rod, to assist in. holding said spring lingers in their localized position. i

9.111 a. typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a paper apron, spring fingers extending from said apron, hard, biting feed rolls carried by said spring fingers to feed and hold a work-piece to the printing surface of the platen in its introductory and advanced positions, slidable pins releasably engaging said paper apron to form fulcrums for said spring fingers, and means for localizing said spring lingers.

10. In a t v"'pewriting machine having a rcvoluble platen, the combination of a paper apron, spring fingers extending from said apron, hard, biting rolls carried by said spring fingers to feed and hold a work-piece to the printing surface of the platen in its .intrmluctory and advanced positions, pins slidablc into and out of position upon said paper apron to releasably engage andform fnlcrums for said spring fingers, and means preventing complete withdrawal of said pins.

11. In. a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen. the combination of a platen frame. a tie-rod therefor, a paper shelf. a paper apron supported on said tie-rod bcneath said platen, the r 2211. portion of said paper apron having a bearing against the back surface of said paper shelf, spring fingers fi'llcrumed on said paper apron, and. hard biting rolls carried by said spring fingers and pressing against the platen in the vicinity of the pruning line thereof.

12. The combination. with a revoluble platen; of an apron lo -atcd beneath the platen; and front feeding and guiding de- -vices for stiff work-pieces, comprising a set of spring fingers PIOJQCUHQ upwardly fronr the forward portion of said apron across the front surface of said platen, and a biting by said fingers to feed and hold a workpiece to said platen surface; and supporting means for said fingers having slidable pins releasably engaged therewith, to form fulcrums for said fingers.

14. In a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a set of spring fingers projecting across the front surface of the platen; biting rolls carried by said fingers to feed and holda Work-piece to said platen surface; supporting means for said fingers having slidable pins releasably engaged therewith, to form fulcrums for said fingers; and means preventing complete withdrawal of said pins.

15.111 a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a set of spring fingers projecting across the front surface of the platen; biting rolls carried by said fingers to feed and hold a work-piece to said platen surface; supporting means for said fingers provided adjacent each finger with a pair of alining, orificed lugs; and a pin slidably mounted in each pair of lugs and forming a fulcrum for the adjacent finger, each pin having means for preventing its complete withdrawal from its respective pair of lugs.

16. in a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a set of spring lingers projecting across the front surface of. the platen; biting rolls carried by said fingers to feed and hold a work-piece to said platen surface; supporting means for said fingers provided adjacent each finger with a pair of alining, orificed lugs, the orifice in one lug of each pair being of greater diameter than that of the other lug; and a pin slidpbly mounted in each pair of lugs, and forlning a fulcrum for the adjacent finger, each pin having an enlargement slidable in the larger orifice of the correspond-u ing pair of lugs, but of greater diameter than the smaller orifice of said pair, thereby to prevent complete withdrawal of said pin from said lugs.

l7. The combination, with a revoluble platen, and a rod supported below and-parallel with the platen aris; of a series of spring filigers pivotally engaged with said rod and projecting upwardly across the front surface of the platen; rolls carried-by said fingers at their upper ends and arranged to bear against said platen; a supporting member interposed betv com the platen surface and said rod an formed with openings through which said fingers extend; and slidable devices releasably engaged with said supporting member and normally bridging said openings to form fulcrums for said fingers.

18. The combination, -with a revoluble platen, and a rod supported below and parallel with the platen axis; of a series of spring fingers pivotally engaged with said in said frame; of a series of spring fingers projecting upwardly across the front surface of the platen; biting rolls carried by said fingers and forcibly pressed thereby against said platen surface; and supporting means whereon said fingers are fulcrumed intermediate their ends, each finger having its lower end extended rearwardly to engage said shaft.

20. In a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, the combination of a set of spring fingers projecting across the front surface of the platen; biting rolls carried by said fingers to feed and hold a work-piece to said platen surface; supporting means for -said fingers provided adjacent each finger with a pair of alining bearings; and a pin slidably mounted in each pair of bearings and forming a fulcrum for the adjacent finger, each pin having at one end a crank portion or handle and at the other end an enlargement, thereby to prevent its complete withdrawal in either direction from said bearings.

21. The combination, with a revoluble platen, a frame therefor, and a rod or shaft mounted in said frame; of a set of spring fingers detachably connected with said rod and projecting across the front surface of said platen; rolls carried by said fingers at their free ends and arranged to forcibly bear against said platen surface; and a member mounted in said frame and provided with sliding pins normally engaged with said fingers to form fulcrums therefor, said fingers being cut away at one side to permit their detachment from said rod when disengaged from said pins.

22. The combination, with a revoluble platen, a frame therefor, and a rod or shaft mounted in said frame; of a set of spring fingers detachably connected with sand rod and projecting across the front surface of said platen; rolls carried by said fingers at their free ends and arranged to forcibly bear against said platen surface; and a member mounted in said frame and provided with sliding pins movable in one direction to engage'said pins and form fulcrums therefor, and having a limited movement in the other direction, said fingers being. cut away at one I, r

side to clear said pins, when the latter have been moved in said other direction, to permit their detachment from said rod.

23. The combination, with a revoluble platen, a platen frame, and a suitably supported shaft or rod extending along the platen below the printing line; of a clip de tachably sprung upon said shaft, and having below said shaft an anchoring arm, said platen frame having a support to be engaged. by said anchoring arm, and said clip comprising a yielding member extending upwardly from said shaft around the front of the platen, but clear thereof, past the printing line, and having above the printing line a roll to bear upon the work to hold it in contact With the platen.

24. The combination, with a revoluble platen, and a suitably-supported shaft or rod extending along the platen below the printing line; of front feeding and'guiding devices for stifi work-pieces, comprising a set of spring members detachably sprung upon said shaft, and a feed roll carried by each spring member at its upper end and having a hard, biting surface, said rolls being forcibly pressed by said spring members against the platen surface substantially at the printing zone.

25. The combination, with a revoluble platen, of front feeding and guiding devices for stiff work-pieces, con'iprising a set of spring members projecting upwardly across the front surface of the platen from a point below the axis thereof, a feed roll carried by each spring member at its upper end and having a hard, biting surface, said feed rolls being located substantially opposite the printing zone on said platen, and supporting means with which said spring members are detachably connected, constructed to tension the same and thereby to forcibly press said rolls against said platen.

THOMAS J. coo.

Witnesses D. S. TOVELL, H. M. CHRISTMAN. 

